Bending tool



June 28, 1960 Filed April 10. 1959 S. AUSTIN BENDING TOOL 2 Sheets-Sheet1 INVENTOR Sa mueI Austin filmy/4 4 ATTORNEY June 28, 1960 s AUSTIN2,942,269

BENDING TOOL Filed April 10, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 20. 25 I9 34 @i23 LQ L 40 .l I \\\I FIG. 5.

FIG. 4.

INVENTOR Samuel A usfin ATTORNEYS BENDING TOOL q Samuel Austin, 35Colebrook St., Hartford 12, Conn.

Filed Apr. 10, 1959, Ser. No. 805,538

' Claims. 11. 1-422 The present invention relates to hand tools of thepliers type adapted to effect a bending operation; and is moreparticularly concerned with an improved tool for wrapping-a metal clipabout a bundle of wires or the like simply, quickly and automatically.

In various assembly operations known at the present time, it is oftendesired to secure a bundle of wires or the like to one another, or tootherwise fasten two elements together. In wire bundling operations,e.g. the binding of a plurality of loose, insulated electric wires suchas is commonly done in neon sign Wiring, electronics, telephone andsimilar applications, it has been the practice in the past to hand tapesuch a plurality of wires to one another. This procedure, which istedious and often unsatisfactory from a structural point of view, hasbeen supplanted in some instances by clipping-operations wherein a metalband is placed about the bundle of wires to produce a unitarymulticonductor cable; but these clipping operations have ingeneral beencharacterized by the crimping of a metal band about such a bundle ofwires, with the attendant possibility of rupturing the insulation ofsaid wires; or in the alternative, have been characterized by theprovision of a clip having a butt joint (such as will be describedhereinafter) which has little mechanical strength. i

It has been recognized that the best form of; clip which can be employedfor'bundling a group of conductors to one another takes the form ofawrapped metal clip, i.e. one in which .the free ends of the clip overlapone another, in a manner analogous to the plural tape Wraps mentionedpreviously. Such wrapped clips, however, have not been widely employedheretofore inasmuch as the wrapping operation has necessarilyhad to bemanual; and no tools have been available to expedite this manual clipwrapping technique. In particular, it will be appreciated thatconventional pliers typetools are so constructed that the jaws thereofapproach a center line together as the tool is actuated, whereby anyattempt to use a conventional pliers in clip bending operationsnecessarily prevents a wrapped .clip from being formed since theproximity of the two jaws makes it impossible for one portion of a clipto be bent in overlyingrelation to another portion of that same clip;

The present invention, recognizing these deficiencies of conventionaltools suggested heretofore as well as disadvantages of taping, crimpingand clipping operations utilized in the past, is particularly concernedwith a novel,

pliers type tool adapted to effect a true wrappingof a metal clip abouta bundle of wires or the like. In this respect, therefore, the presentinvention is concerned with a pliers type tool having bending jaws andan associated mechanism so arranged that, upon actuation 'of the tool,one bending jaw is adapted to effect a bending operation and thereaftermove out of the way to permit a subsequent bending operation by theother bending jaw of the tool. By using this tool, therefore, oneseeking 'to produce a clipped bundle of wires can do so. by

a simple hand operation comprising a single squeezing 2 7 together ofthe tool handles; and this simple motion of the tool handlesautomatically produces a more complex motion of the tool bending jawswhereby said bending jaws operate in proper sequence to effect a clipbending and wrapping operation.

It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide animproved bending tool of the pliers type.

Another object of the present invention resides in the provision of ahand tool adapted to produce a wrapped clip about a bundle of wires orthe like.

Another object of the present invention resides in the provision of apliers type tool so arranged that the jaws thereof approach a worklocation in sequence rather than simultaneously.

Still another object of the presentinvention resides in the provision ofa pliers type tool having a pair of bending jaws so arranged andoperated that one jaw is" adapted to effect a bending operationat a worklocation whereafter that one jaw is adapted to move away from the worklocation to permit a subsequent bending operation by the other jawwithout interference from the first mentioned jaw.

Still another object of the present invention resides in the provisionof a hand tool and associated linkage adapted to effect a reciprocatingmotion of at least one bending jaw on said tool, as said tool isactuated.

A further object of the present invention resides in the provision of atool adapted to wrap a clip more quickly and efficiently than has beenpossible heretofore.

A still further object of the present invention resides in the provisionof a hand tool designed to expedite the bundling ofwires and designed topermit the bundling pivot point, on one side of said pivot point,"effects a similar motion of the operating portions of said handles dlesof the pliers type tool are squeezed together,.the said.

located on the other side of said pivot point. Indeed; this forrn ofmechanical motion is well known and ischar'acteristicof conventionalpliers suggested heretofore; and it must therefore be understood thatthis form of structure and mechanical motion is contemplated in thesubsequent description and appended claims when.- ever-the term plierstype tool is utilized.

a subsequent bending operation efi'ectedbythe other bending jaw. Inproviding for this operation, the toolof the present invention employs amovable bending jaw; on one of the operating handles mentionedpreviously,

associated with a linkage so arranged that as the hanmovable bending jawis caused to quickly move to a work location at a time when the otherbending jaw isl V relatively remote from said work location, whereaftersaid movable bending jaw moves away from that Work location as the.other bending jaw moves into the worklocation. The work location inparticular can comprise a socket forming a unitary portion of the tooladapted. to receive a clip and bundle of wires, or .any other struc-'ture to be bent by the tool.

The foregoing objects, advantages, construction and operation of thepresent invention will become more readily apparent from the subsequentdescription and accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1A illustrates an unbent clip. of the type which may be employedin association with the tool of thepresent invention.

Figures 1B. and 1C illustrate clips which, may be formed from thestructure of Figure 1A, with Figure 1B being particularly illustrativeof an undesired form of bent clip, while Figure 1C is illustrative.of-the desired form of wrapped clip produced by the tool of the presentinvention.

Figures 2A through, 20 inclusive illustrate the im proved pliers typetool of the present invention in successive operation. V

Figure 3 is a 'view of the tool of the present invention taken on theside thereof reverse to the side shown in Figure 2A.

Figure 4 is a detail view of a portion of the tool taken on line 4-4 ofFigure 3; and

Figure 5 is a further, detail view of a portion. of the tool taken online 5-5 of Figure 3.

Referring now to the several figures, it will be. seen that, in order toproduce a bundle of wires, a clip such as (Figure 1A) may be employed.This clip may, if desired, be of substantially U-shaped configurationinitially, may comprise a relatively soft metal such as aluminum, andmay have legs which are of the same or different lengths depending uponthe degree of wrapping desired in the final clip. It should further benoted that the. metal clip shown in Figure 1A, and discussedhere.inafter, may have appropriate insulation thereon where an insulated clipis desired or required, or maybe fabricated of, suitable flexiblematerials including insulatingmaterials. The term clip used hereinafter,and in the appended claims, is therefore meant to include all of thesevarious structures.

In a clipping operation, the bundle of; wires to-be secured to oneanother can be placed between the legsof the U-shaped clip 10,whereafter the free ends 10a and 10b of said clip can be bent toward oneanother to enclose the wires or the other structures to be secured. Itwill be appreciated that the bending operation described with regard'tofree ends 1011 and 10b may be such as to produce a butt type joint (orindeed a crimped' joint); and such a butt type joint, which has beenconventional heretofore, is in fact, illustrated in Figure 1B;

In, particular, it will be noted that the free ends 10a; andf10b of theclipshown in Figure 1B are disposed closely adjacent to one anotheralong a'line 11 rather than being in overlapping 'relationto oneanother; and such :a butt type joint has been found in, practice to havelittle inherent strength whereby any stress placed'on the individualwires of a bundle retained by a clip such as that shown in Figure 1Bcauses a ready separation of the clip along the line 11, with theresultant considerable possibility that the wires will spread apartfromone another, and indeed disengage from the required or desiredbundle.

It should be noted that whilethe'line 11 shown in. Figure 1B has beenillustrated'as a substantially straight line, butt type joints of the,types intended to, be illustrated by Figure 13 can infact take otherforms, whereby the two portions of the'clip interleave one, anotheralong. a crenelated zigzag, or other irregular line; but, in all, suchinstances, the-characteristics of the butt type joint are neverthelesspresent, i.e. the facing portions of the clip. are merely juxtaposed toone another rather than overlapping one another.

The form of clip most desired. is that shown in Figure 1C; and this.particular clip may retaina bundle of wires 12 in a. cable. or assembledarrangement by a clip, having the free ends 10a and 10b physically.overlapping one another along a surface 13. It is. the, prime. purposeof the present invention to form a clip of the type shown in Figure 1Cinasmuch as this sort of clip, which is effectively wrapped about thewires, exhibits the wrapped strength which has been associatedheretofore with conventional taping operations wherein a length of tapeis wrapped in successive layers about a bundle of wires. The presentinvention, however, and the tool to be described hereinafter, effectssuch a wrapped clip quickly and automatically by a. simple handoperation whereby the clip, of the type shown in Figure 1C, can beformed in a small fraction of the time normally required for handtaping.

It will be appreciated that a wrapped clip of the type shown in Figure16 "cannot be formed by conventional pliers type tools. In particular,if a clip of the type shown in Figure 1A were to be placed between thejaws of a conventional pliers type tool and those jaws were then causedto move-toward one another, this movement is ordinarily such that thejaws approach one another at, the. same. time. The resulting clip musttherefore, necessarily have either a crimpedconfiguration or a buttjoint of the typev shown generally in Figure 1B. In order for a wrappedjoint of the type shown in Figure 1C to be formed, however, the bendingoperation must be sequentialin nature whereby one free end of the clip,e.g. end10a, is first bent over the bundle of wires or the like,whereafter the second free end 10b of said clip is bent in overlyingrelation to the first bent end. Moreover, it willfbe appreciated that asimple sequential operation of the bending jaws is ordinarily notenough, since a jaw bending afree end such as 10a and thereafterremaining in place would tend to interfere with a later bendingoperation by another jaw seeking to bend free end 10b. Accordingly, aparticular form of sequentialoperation is preferred, in that one bendingjaw must bend a first portion of the clip and then moveout of the way topermit a subsequent bending operation of another portion, of the clip.These characteristic operations and motions are produced by'the tool ofthe present invention; and this structure and functioning of. said toolwill become more readily apparent by reference to Figures 2 through 5'inclusive.

Referring now to the several Figures 2 through 5', it will be notedthatthe pliers type tool of, the present invention may comprise a pairof operating handles 15 and 16 cross-connected to one another at a pivot17 located between the ends of'said. handles. The handle '16 extendsbeyond the pivot 17- as an elongated arm 18' having a unitarybending'jaw 19 extending therefrom. The-jaw 19 is, as illustrated, of elongatedconfiguration extendingtransverse, to the direction "of elongation ofarm 18, wherefore the nose20 and underside 21 of'said' jaw :19 can bendone portion, of a clip, e.g. one of the legs ofthe" clip shown in Figure1A.

The other handle 15. extends beyond pivot point 17 and takes the form ofan enlarged block or head 22 havinga U-shaped depression 23' thereinacting as a work locationor socket adapted to receive a clip such as 10and'a bundle of wires such as 12 for the bending operations describedpreviously. A portion of the head 22 may,.if desired, include anauxiliary member, as at 2311,,partially'sawed through and hardened,whereby one side of depression or socket 23 comprises a member.bent'slightly inward and acting as a fiat spring adapted to hold theclip 10 in socket 23 under light pressure. A spring 24 is disposedbetweenv the armv 18 and head 22 to normally hold the, tool portions inthe relative positions shown in Figure 2A; and it will be appreciatedthat operationof the tool, comprising a depression or squeezing. ofhandles 15 and 16 toward one another about pivot point, 17,. wil' causea compression of spring, 24 whereby,,up,on release of the handles 15 and16, the tool handles will spring-apart topermit another clippingoperation,

fullyhereinafter. pp

.28, as illustrated.

The head 22 does not, per se, act as a bending jaw in the tool. Insteada bending jaw 25 bolted by bolts 26 toa channel shaped bracket 27 isprovided; and said channel shaped bracket 27 extends alongboth sides ofhead 22 (see Figures 2A, 3 and 4) and is pivotally attached to said head22 by a pivot 28. It will be noted therefore that upon pivoting ofbracket 27 about pivot 28, the bending jaw 25 can be pivoted into andout of locations adjacent the uppermost portion of socket 23; and thismounting of bending jaw 25 therefore permits said bending jaw todescribe a reciprocating motion with regard to socket 23, in the mannerto' be discussed more Under normal conditions, the bracket 27 ismaintained in such position that the bending jaw 25 is disposed to oneside of the open end of socket 23 (see Figure 2A); and in particular, aspring 29 is disposed between bracket 27 and arm 22 to urge bending jaw25 away from socket 23, with the rest position of jaw 25 being limitedby a pin 30 extending outwardly from head 22 and engaging an outer fiatedge of bracket 27 at a position below pivot In order to provide adesired motion of bending jaw 25, upon simple movement or squeezing ofhandles 15 and 16 toward one another, the bracket 27 includes anoperating arm 31 extending downwardly, as illustrated; and thisoperating arm may comprise an integral portion of bracket 27, or may inthe alternative comprise an extending arm fastened thereto, wherebyforces applied to the lower end of arm 31 tend to pivot bracket 27 aboutpivot 28 against the restraint of spring 29 thereby to move bending jaw25 into a position over-. lying the top of socket 23.

This movement of bracket 27, through the agency of arm 31, about pivotpoint 28 is effected by a linkage 32. In particular, said linkage 32comprises a substan-. tially L-shaped arm pivoted at a point 33 toarm18, comprising the extension of. handle 16. Arm or linkage, 32 isnormally urged'in-a clockwise direction about said pivot point 33 by aspring wire 34 fastened to the'upperrnost portion of arm 18 by meanssuch as a nut and bolt 35, and engaging the L-shaped linkage 32 adjacenta lower portion thereof below pin 33, this arrangement beingparticularly shown; in Figures ZA-Cand; 5. The clockwise rotation'oflinkage 32 is limited by a further. pin 36 extending outwardly fromarm31 adjacent the lower portion thereof, and engaging a surface 37formed asa, cut-out portion at the free end of linkage 32. The linkage32 further includes a latching surface 38 extending upwardly fromsurface 37 adjacent said free'end and adapted to engage pin 36 in 'themannerto be described; and the upper portion of linkage 32 describes acurved cam surface 39 adapted to cooperate with still a further pin 40,extending outwardlyfrom head 22 in. the manner to be described. e Theactual operation of the tool shown in Figures 2 through 5' will becomemore readily apparent by a con sideration of Figures 2A, 2B and 2C ins'equence. Fig-, ure j2A illustrates the toolin a non-operatingposition, i.e. prior to a desiredclipping operation. Inthis positionofthe tool, the handles 15 and 16 are maintained in separated relationto one another by spring 24, and j the bending jaw 25 is held awayfromsocket 23 by spring 299 The socket 23 istherefore open-and a clipsuch as; 10 containinga bundle of wires such as 12 may their be insertedinto the socket 23 for a clipping operati011'.'.

. Inorder to produce'the clip shown;in Figure 1C, the

handles 15 and 16 are depressed in a continuous motion,

toward one another, i.e. in a conventional pliers type action. Figure 2Bdepicts the tool operation 'as the handles 15 and 16 are partiallydepressed toward one another. In particular, as the tool is manipulatedfrom the condition shown inFigure 2A to that shown in Figure 2B, the arm18 and head 22 are caused to approach one another. This'relative motionbetween arm 18 and head 22 causes the latching surface 38 of linkage 32to engage pin 36 on arm 31, and to be held in engagement therewith dueto spring wire 34, whereby, as the handles 15 and 16 are moved towardone another, surface 38 bearing upon pin 36 causes bracket 27 to pivotin a clockwise direction about pivot 28. As this operation proceeds, thearm 31 is of course moved away from stop pin 30 and the bending jaw 25is rapidly moved into a position wherein it engages one side or leg ofthe clip 10 adjacent thereto and bends that side of clip 10 over the topof the bundle of wires 12, as shown in Figure 2B. It will be noted thatduring this bending operation by bending jaw 25, the other bending jaw19 is still relatively remote from socket 23. I

In the initial portions of the operation depicted in Figure 2B, the pin36 is located closely adjacent the junction of surfaces 37 and 38 onlinkage 32. The upper cam surface 39 of said linkage 32 rides howeverupon pin 40 extending outward from head 22. Accordingly, as operatinghandles 15 and 16 are moved closer and closer to one another, the pin 40forces linkage 32 downward about its pivot point 33 against therestraint of spring wire 34. As a result, latching surface 38 describesa downward sliding movement on pin 36 at the same time that it isengaging said pin to cause the pivotal motion of bracket 27 and bendingarm 25, already described. At the time that bracket 27 is pivoted in'aclockwise direct-ion to the full extent desired, i.e. to the extentnecessary to effect a bending operation of one side of the on the uppersurface of linkage 32. Further depression,

of handles 15 and 16 toward one another will therefore have no elfect onthe movement of bending jaw 25 since there is no driving engagementbetween linkage 32 and pin 36; andbending jaw 25 will be caused toremain at its quiescent position away from socket 23. As the handles 15and 16 are fully depressed, bending jaw 19 slides across the upperportion of socket 23 to effect a second bending operation, i.e. thebending of the second portion or leg of the clip over the first portionalready bent; and it will be noted that this second bending operationelfected by jaw 19 is done free of interference from bending jaw 25.Upon release of pressure on handles 15 and 16, spring 24 will causethose handles to move apart, whereafter spring wire 34 will lift linkage32 back in the position shown in Figure 2A preparatory to a furtherclipping operation; and the bundle of wires having the wrapped clipthereabout can then be readily removed from the socket 23.

Summarizing the operation described, therefore, it will be noted that awrapped clip is effected by a simple de-' pression or squeezing of thehandles 15 and 16 toward one another. This simple motion causes onebending jaw to pivot into bending position adjacent a work location at atime when the other bending jaw is relatively remote from said worklocation; and as the handles of the pliers type tool are continuouslymoved toward one another, the first jaw snaps away'from the worklocation to permit a subsequent bending operation by the other jaw. In

actual practice, therefore, a wrapped clip may be formed by the simpleexpedient of squeezing the handles of a pliers type tool toward oneanother; and this simple permitsubsequent engagement of-the clip bytheother head.

It-will be appreciated that, during the clipping operation, the bundleof wires itself acts as a form about which the clip is wrapped and, inactual practice various numbers of wires may have to be bundled to oneanother. Itis particularly contemplated that anywhere from two to tenwires can be clipped together by the mechanism of the presentinvention.Adjustment means are provided in order to permit the operator of thetoolto bundle any desired number of wires together. In particular, adaptormeans are associated with socket 23, forming a movable floor for saidsocket whereby, as the number of wires to be clipped decreases, thefloor of said socket may be moved upwardly to accommodate a'lessernumber of wires,*with the resulting bundle of wires still'beingarrangedso that the uppermost wires are adjacent the top of socket 23 topermit the'clip to be bent around thewires, over the top of that socket,and onto the top of the bundle of wires in the manner described. To thiseffect ('see Figures 3 and 4), the adaptor comprises an elongated bar 45of L-shape, having a portion 45a extending into and across the bottom ofsocket 23. Adaptor bar 45includes an elongated slot 46 cooperating witha knurled set screw 47 extending through-said slot 46 into threadengagement with head 22. By simply loosening and thereafter tighteningset screw 47, the adaptor 45 may be moved upwardly and downwardly, asillustrated by dotted lines 48 in Figure 3, to permit clips of varioussizes and/or different numbers of wires to be *received by socket 23.

While I have thus described -a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention, it must be emphasized that the foregoing description :ismeant to be illustrative only, and should not be considered limitativeof my invention. Various modifications will be suggestedto those skilledin the art; and in particular, various alternative mechanicalarrangements operating generally in accordance with the principlesalready described, can be effected. All such variations andmodifications as are in accord with'the principles of the presentinvention are therefore'meant to fall within the scope'of theappendedclaims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A pliers type tool adapted to wrap a clip about a bundle of wires,comprising a pair of operating handles pivoted to one another at a pointbetween the ends thereof; a pair of bending jaws connected tocorresponding firstends 'of'said pair of handles whereby manual movementof'theother endsof' said handles toward'and away from one anothereffects similar movement of said first ends relative to one another, atleast one of said bending jaws being pivotally connected to one of saidhandles, and means responsive to movement of said handles toward oneanother for causing said one bending jaw to initially pivot on said onehandle towardsaid other handle and thereafter away from said otherhandle as said handles are continuously moved toward one another.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said responsive means includesresilientmeans engaging said one bending jawfor normally urging said onejaw away from said other handle, linkage means extending between saidone jaw and said other handle for moving said one jaw toward said otherhandle against the restraint of said resilient means, and means forrendering said'linkage means inoperative after said handles have movedtoward one another beyond a predetermined point whereby said resilientmeans thereafter operates to move said one jaw away from said otherhandle.

3. The combination'of claim 1 including a projection on said one jaw,said responsive means. comprising linkage means extending from saidother arm to removably engage. said projectionwhereby movement of saidhandles toward one another initially causes said linkagemeans to effectpivotal movemen-tof said one jaw, and, means. for disengaging saidlinkage means from said projection after said handles have passed apredetermined point in their movement toward one another.

4. The combination of claim 1 including a socket on said tool adapted toreceive a clip to be bent, said socket beinglocated at a positionbetween said bending jaws whereby said one jaw moves toward andthereafter away from said socket while the other jaw is relativelyremote from said socket, whereafter said other bending jaw. moves to aposition closely adjacent said socket upon continuous movement of saidhandles toward one another.

5'. The combination of claim 4 including resilient means on said tooladjacent said socket for resiliently retaining a clip Within'saidsocket.

6. A pliers type bending tool comprising a pair of armspivotallyconnetced to one another at a position be tween the endsthereof, apair of bending jaws connected to corresponding ends of saidarms, an openended socket on said tool adapted to receive a structure tobe bent, and means responsive to continued movement of said arms towardone another about said pivotal connection for causing one of said jawsto move toward and thereafter away from the open end of said socket asthe other of said jaws moves continuously toward said socket wherebysaid one jaw is'adapted to efiect an initial bending operation and'saidother jaw is adapted to efiect a subsequent bending operation free ofinterference from said one jaw.

7. A readily portable manually operable bending tool comprising meansdefining a work location adapted to receive a device to be bent, a pairof bending jaws mounted on opposite sides of said work location, andhand operable operator means mechanically connected to both said jawsfor simultaneously moving said jaws toward said work location, saidoperator means including means for causing one of said jaws to movetoward said work location at a more rapid rate than the otherof saidjaws whereby said one jaw is adapted to effect a bending operation atsaid work location in advance of a-subsequent bending operation efiectedat'saidwork' 10- cationby the other of said jaws.

8.-A. bending tool comprising means defining a socket adapted to receivea device to be bent, a first bending jaw movably disposed adjacent oneside of said socket, a second bending jaw movably disposed adjacent theother side of said socket, means for moving said second bending jawtoward said socket, linkage means extending from said second bending jawto said first bending'jaw-and removably engaging said first jaw formoving said first bending jaw toward. said socket in response tomovement of said second bending jaw toward said socket, said. linkagemeans moving said first jaw into a bending position at-sai'd socketwhilesaid second jaw is remote from said socket, meansresponsive tomovement of said second jaw toward said socket beyond a predeterminedposition for disengaging, said linkage means from said first jaw while.said second jaw is still remote from said socket, and spring meanscoupled to said first'jaw for moving said first jaw away from saidsocket upon disengagement of said linkage means therebyto permitsai'd'second jaw' to move'into a bending position at said socket.

9. The combination ofclaim -8 wherein said first jaw is pivotallymounted on said socket defining means, a first projection on said firstjaw adapted to removably engage said linkage means, said linkage meansincluding a cam surface, and a second projection extending from saidsocket defining means adjacent. said cam surface for movingsaid linkagemeans to a position of disengagement with said. first projection at saidpredetermined position of movement of said second jaw.

10. A, pliers type tool having a pair of handles adapted to be. manuallypressed toward one another about a pivot connecting said handles, ablock forming a unitary 375 portion of one of said handles on one sideof said pivot,

said block including a recess adapted to receive work to be operatedupon by said tool, a bracket pivot-ally attached to said block at oneside of said recess, said bracket including a first jaw extending towardsaid recess and normally remote therefrom, a second jaw normally remotefrom said recess and extending from the other.

of said handles toward said recess at the other side of said recess, alinkage element movably attached to said other of said handles andextending into removable engagement with said bracket, whereby partialmanual pressing of said handles toward one another causes said linkageelement to pivot said bracket about its pivot point on said mlockthereby to move said first jaw to a position adjacent said recess whilesaid second jaw is still remote from said recess, and means extendingfrom said block and engaging said linkage element for moving saidlinkage element out of engagement with said bracket upon further manualpressing of said handles toward one another thereby to permit saidsecond jaw to move to a position adjacent said recess unimpeded by saidfirst jaw.

11. The combination of claim 10 wherein said bracket includes a pinextending therefrom, said linkage element including a latching portionengaging said pin.

12. The combination of claim 10 wherein said linkage element ispivotally attached to said other handle, and spring means extendingbetween said linkage element and said other handle for normally urgingsaid linkage element into engagement with said bracket.

13. The combination of claim 12 wherein said linkage element includes anelongated edge extending past said block, said means extending from saidblock and engaging said linkage element comprising a pin extending fromsaid block and riding on said elongated edge during at least a portionof the movement of said linkage element relative to'said block.

14. The combination of claim 10 including adaptor means movably disposedin said recess for varying the effective size of said recess.

15. The combination of claim 10 including spring means attached to saidbracket and normally urging said first jaw away from said recess wherebysaid spring means is operative, when said linkage element is moved outof engagement with said bracket, to move said first jaw away from saidrecess.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,722,279 Davis July 30, 1929 2,097,955 Norton Nov. 2, 1937 2,391,891Frankel Jan. 1, 1946 2,582,056 Mount Ian. 8, 1952

